THROWDOWN Guitarist Praises PANTERA, Slams TRUSTKILL RECORDS

March 28, 2008

At the recent Scum of the Earth tour stop with SOILWORK and WAR OF AGES in New York City, MetalSucks had a chance to sit down and chat with THROWDOWN guitarist Mark Choiniere. Mark talked about the tour, THROWDOWN's new album "Venom & Tears", his thoughts on the constant comparisons to PANTERA, and the band's relationship with Trustkill Records. Excerpts from the chat follow:

MetalSucks: PANTERA [is] obviously a huge influence on "Venom & Tears"

Mark Choiniere: Definitely.

MetalSucks: and a lot of people have commented on that. Do you get sick of people talking about it? Do you ever wish people would just shut up about it and let you guys have your own identity?

Mark Choiniere: Uh, no. You know why? 'Cause basically when we were writing the record, we knew there was a huge PANTERA influence and that people were gonna talk about it. But being compared to the greatest metal band that ever walked the earth?

MetalSucks: There are worse problems to have.

Mark Choiniere: It's not a bad thing. And people try to make it like it's a bad thing, but there's so many bands today that don't even have that PANTERA influence they just copy every Swedish band. Not to y'know, SOILWORK is a very influential band, and that type of metal seems to be more popular right now than any American style of metal. And it's cool to take influence from those [American] bands and show it, 'cause that's one of my favorite bands, ever. Same with Dave. So it's fine with us.

MetalSucks: This was your last album for Trustkill, right?

Mark Choiniere: Right.

MetalSucks: And I know Dave has made some very public anti-record company remarks do you guys feel like you're done with the industry?

Mark Choiniere: No, I don't think so. I think Dave was merely speaking from personal it was definitely more him. I mean, the band definitely backs him, but just from personal experiences not necessarily bashing record companies in general, which I know it sounded like

MetalSucks: Do you feel like you had a negative experience with Trustkill?

Mark Choiniere: I mean, I don't like to talk shit, but I just think things could have gone better. Just from touring with other bands and hearing how their record label helped them be the band that they are it's just kinda like, we could only imagine what it would be like to be on a label that really pushes you. That's all I can say, I guess.

Read the entire interview at www.metalsucks.net.

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